Ghosts of Helmsley Castle

Helmsley Castle resides on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors in Ryedale. The castle was built in the 12th century by one of Henry I's "new men," Walter Espec, who founded nearby Rievaulx Abbey.

Helmsley Castle

 

Several centuries later, the castle came under siege during the English Civil War when Royal troops used it as a barracks. The inhabitants eventually surrendered due to hunger. As a result of the siege, parts of the castle were destroyed by Parliamentarians to ensure it could not be used for defensive purposes again.

The castle was owned by George Villars, Duke of Buckingham, during the 17th century. He was the subject of the children's nursery rhyme "Georgie Porgie Pudding and Pie, Kissed the girls and made them cry."

The castle is said to be haunted by the ghost of a soldier, possibly from the time of the English Civil War. The apparition of a Green Lady has also been seen inside and outside the castle during the dead of night. Another tale describes weird pixie-like creatures wandering the castle grounds and surrounding countryside.